1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to muzzleloader firearms. More specifically, the present invention relates to an inline hammerless percussion firing system for muzzleloader firearms.
2. Description of Related Art
Muzzleloader firearms have previously been provided with a hammer firing system in which a hammer projects from the rifle and can be pulled back to cock the firearm. A muzzleloader is any firearm into which the projectile and usually the propellant charge is loaded from the muzzle of the gun (i.e., from the forward, open end of the gun's barrel). This is distinct from a breech-loading firearm design.
A hammerless weapon is a modification of the original firing mechanism of firearms. Hammerless firearms do not feature an exposed firing hammer or firing “spur”. In rifles, using a firing-pin rather than a hammer reduces the time from trigger pull to firing. This makes the rifle more accurate, because the rifleman's muscular tremors have less time to move the rifle off-aim.
A firearm hammer is easily identifiable in the rear of the weapon's stock and requires the operator to manually “cock” it to arm the weapon. Rifles with an exposed firing hammer are frequently subjected to accidental discharges due to the exposed firing pin. With a hammerless weapon an internal firing pin can reduce the risk of accidental discharge to the operator, because of the safety features of the internal firing pin. Non-muzzleloader firearms subsequently became capable of having a more rapid firing rate as well, because the operator no longer had to manually “cock” the weapon prior to each time the weapon was discharged. These firearms became known as repeating rifles, providing rapid fire over a hammer strike design. However, the benefit of a more rapid firing rate is not realized on a muzzleloader firearm due to the nature of loading a muzzleloader firearm.
Since loading a muzzleloader firearm requires a deliberate sequence, rapid firing is not a consideration. In general, the sequence of loading is to put in gunpowder first, by pouring in a measured amount of loose powder, or by inserting a pre-measured bag or paper packet of gunpowder, or by inserting solid propellant pellets. Next, the projectile is pressed into the muzzle. Using a ramrod, the projectile is seated firmly upon the powder charge so that there is no airspace between the projectile and the powder charge. Using a priming tool, the percussion cap is then seated onto the nipple. These actions take time. Thus, rapid fire considerations that would otherwise dictate a hammerless design are counterintuitive to a muzzleloader firearm's inherent operation.
However, there still remains a need to increase the safety of a muzzleloader firearm. It has been experienced that projecting hammers can be caught on bushes, tree limbs, clothing and the like as a muzzleloader firearm is carried, which could lead to the inadvertent cocking of a muzzleloader's hammer type firing system. Covering or bobbing the hammer by removing the spur reduces this tendency, although the risk is not entirely removed. Consequently, it would be advantageous to have a muzzleloader firearm that is hammerless.